please empty your brain below
And a whole lot nicer. I remember that, and when they did bring those blocks down they found a lot of the structural elements were things like rolled up newspapers - it was a miracle they stayed up so long!

Debster | 16.05.08 - 7:42 a.m. | #

Fascinating....I have a vague memory of this happening from my youth but had no idea it was just a few miles from where I now live.

NiC | Homepage | 16.05.08 - 9:26 a.m. | #

Blimey, was it 40 yrs ago? I think I was running about head up me arse to the extent i had no consideration for others' misfortunes.

Thanks for the reminder. This really is one of the best blogs, I have found, and I must make a note to visit it more often....

bw
pondlife

pondlife | Homepage | 16.05.08 - 9:45 a.m. | #

I remember Ronan Point being on the news when I was a kid. It seemed to be a confirmation to everyone of just why they felt uneasy about all these cheap flats going up everywhere. Even at 8 years old I was aware of the uneasiness in the air. I grew up in Edmonton and at the time they had just ripped the heart out of the lovely old Green and erected a Stalinist style high rise skyline at the top of our road.
Ronan Point is also on the cover of Finsterre by Saint Etienne - a great album.

Johnny Topaz | 16.05.08 - 10:28 a.m. | #

I always think it's such a pity in a country where space is limited that most tower developments were done so poorly. The end result being that no-one here likes them.

Certainly in other countries there are plenty of high-rise developments that are pleasant to live in. (I used to love my 22nd floor studio) The UK just seems to be awfully short on them. Any many of the few that do exist consist of only the one tower!

Chz | Homepage | 16.05.08 - 10:57 a.m. | #

Interesting what a nice cup of tea can do, isn't it? It just goes to show you what can happen if you don't follow building regulations. What I find ironic about this is that these tower blocks were meant to be a modern way of living back in the sixties, and yet, IMHO, they've turned out to be just a vertical form of the slums they replaced.

Andrewh | 16.05.08 - 11:36 a.m. | #

I was actually looking into this recently (I'm a St Etienne fan and it's on the cover of their Finisterre album). I think the Shady Old Lady has the location slightly wrong.

Several sources (including the Local History page you link to) mention it being near Butcher's Road, which puts it at the west end of Clever Road rather than the east end near Freemason's Road. Although where exactly I don't know.

I've been thinking of using this as an excuse to visit the National Archives at Kew, because they have the official report which will surely give the location exactly.

Graham | Homepage | 16.05.08 - 11:36 a.m. | #

High-rises are fine for the people they suit, IF they are well-built and well-maintained: hence the "luxury" label (and prices, and service charges) for loads of new flats not too far from Canning Town.

But even then - as my estate discovered - you aren't protected against sloppy building practice (smoke vents that vented into the wrong place or not even connected, fire doors that collapsed after five minutes of heat, and so on). We had to take a deep breath and risk a long and expensive court case to get the developers to put it right (which, eventually, they were forced to).

And no amount of glossy decor and pot-planted foyers is going to help if people are crammed into high-rises that just don't suit their lifestyle. The planners of the day couldn't say they weren't warned.

Autolycus | Homepage | 16.05.08 - 12:22 p.m. | #

In the 80s they "decanted" most of the residents and the dark, empty towers looked so sinister when viewed from the A13

Bowroad | 16.05.08 - 1:13 p.m. | #

My grandparents lived at the Balaam St end of Canning Town, quite close to another tower block (can't remember its name). I went in there once with her to visit a friend when I was a little girl. I remember being fascinated at the view. My nan told me the story of Ronan Point later. I'm just pleased she didn't tell me when I was on the 18th floor!

I've also attended several family parties in the old tower blocks on Freemasons Road, they used to have large halls one floor up. Oh for the days of the good old East End knees up.

SSS | Homepage | 16.05.08 - 1:35 p.m. | #

Yes, the same disastrous concept of low-income housing in high-rise buildings was done in New York. But they haven't cared enough to tear theirs down.

Instead those poor people have to live with it. I think it's only natural to require a little grass and a few trees to make things livable.

Critiques of architectural disasters and their social implications make for interesting essays.

john | Homepage | 16.05.08 - 3:39 p.m. | #

John - I can understand a little grass making things more livable, but do New York high rise tenants really have to resort to smoking trees as well?

Tolley | 16.05.08 - 7:00 p.m. | #

Ronan Point lives on as part of the hardcore for London City Airport.

When it was demolished the rubble was used to infill part of the "Royals" for the runway.

Richard | 19.05.08 - 7:49 p.m. | #











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